Saffron

[templeton]

Weather's cooling, and i got round to preparing the dedicated saffrom bed.
checked the bulbs hanging in the shed, and a couple have just started to sprout.
I've been relatively unsuccessful at growing saffron flowers - I can get the bulbs to reproduce, but don't pick much saffron.
These bulbs from about 90 mother bulbs I puti in last autumn. I've got about 90 big bulbs (3cm+) about 50 medium (1.5-2.5cm) and maybe 300 little bulbs (~1cm). Some of the big ones have just started to sprout.
The literature is a bit equivocal about planting depth, with recommendations from 8-10cm through to 25 cm.
Any thoughts?

Attachments:

[atash]

>>The literature is a bit equivocal about planting depth, with recommendations from 8-10cm through to 25 cm. <<

Probably depends on the texture of the soil. Heavier soil = shallower planting. But 25cm seems rather deep for a small corm.

>>I've been relatively unsuccessful at growing saffron flowers - I can get the bulbs to reproduce, but don't pick much saffron.<<

Saffron is a sterile triploid. It has been propagated vegetatively too many times, and like many plants in that situation, it has lost a lot of vigor. The flowers are typically sparse and deformed.

If this is a non-commercial venture, you might try its wild counterpart, Crocus cartwrightiana. It's much easier to grow. The "threads" are smaller but still useable.

[raymondo]

I wonder if doubling the ploidy would reinstate fertility. I suppose there are Spanish researchers working on it though.

[scottstaffin]

Saffron is known to be the world's most expensive spice in the world. For this reason, some saffron being sold on the market as Kashmiri are actually grown in other region's of the world but Kashmir. We are Saffron suppliers from India directly. We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to export not only the genuine Kashmiri saffron, but the finest Kashmiri saffron on the market, from INDIA KASHMIR SAFFRON, known world-wide for its unsurpassed quality for more than 40 years. This Kashmiri saffron is 100% pure, premium quality, available in Bulk packings of 100 Grams, 200 Grams, 500 Grams, 1 Kg, 5 Kg. We are Saffron Suppliers from India directly. This Kashmiri saffron is 100% pure, premium quality, and is sealed in the elegantly designed packaging to preserve the freshness of saffron.

[richardw]

Thanks for your sales pitch Scottstaffin but most of us here prefer to grow our own ;D

Saffron is something ive been wanting to have a go at because there's a few local people i know who seem to be quite successful at producing a few stamens for themselves,the climate here seems to suit them well with enough summer heat but cold enough winters that they can be left in the ground but not too cold that they would get frozen.

Ok thats it,i'm going to get some bulbs because i saw some advertised only a few days ago.

[raymondo]

I planted up large pot with saffron (thanks T). All sprouted and two of them flowered. I harvested the threads and used them from two of the flowers. I also tried pollinating. the flowers appeared to produce plenty of pollen but the attempt didn't produce seeds. I had't noticed atash's post above about them being sterile triploids. The pollen is obviously not viable.

[potter]

Here is a link for some excellent advise with saffron cultivation..

www.docstoc.com/docs/8564680/Growing-saffron---the-world%E2%80%99s-most-expensive-spice

[mnjrutherford]

I've been hoping to get my hands on saffron bulbs as well. Our weather is variable year to year with regard to winter temps in particular. It snows in winter, but not every year and not a whole lot in any year. Another condition that may be a negative factor is the humidity. That also varies year to year.

[potter]

I bought 30 bulbs last year that managed to produce few flowers as well..whole 5 strands of saffron..

Mine are planted into black long 1ft deep container into really gritty compost-soil mixture with really good drainage.
The top growth on my bulbs have just died down and I covered the container with glass panes to keep rain away and let the soil dry out. While the bulbs are resting they don't need to be in wet soil.
As soon as the growth start again..I shall give them good drink and keep the soil moist again.
At first I was going to plant mine into ground..but as I'm trying mimic their 'natural' growing conditions, it is much more easily achieve in planters that can be even taken away under covers if necessary.
My bulbs produced lot of 'babies' in their first year and plan is to divide some tostart another container next year..this year the aim is to double the 'production' of the saffron spice.. ;D